1. There’s a High Financial Reward
One of the main reasons why property investment is so popular is that you’re almost guaranteed a good return on investment, especially if you’re up to date with real estate trends Property values appreciate with time — the longer you own your property, the more it’s worth and the more profit you can make!
You can also use your rental income to help pay off your home loan. And once that’s paid off, you get a steady cash flow each month. Plus, paying off your home loan on time can do wonders to boost your credit score which will help you make investments in the future.
2. You Get Tax Benefits
South Africa encourages property investment by giving tax incentives to property investors:
There’s no VAT payable on property in South Africa.
You also benefit from tax deductions on all interest, maintenance, levies, insurance and all other costs incurred on the property.
For every 5 properties you buy, SARS allows a minimum of 55% of the purchase price as a tax deduction.
With property investment, you end up saving money in the long run.
3. Property Remains a Stable Investment
Unlike investing in stocks, investing in property offers relative stability as a physical asset. South Africa’s property market is remarkably stable and is even considered the most stable on the continent. This means that property is a much safer investment where you don’t have to worry about your investment suddenly losing value.
4. You Have Some Freedom
As the owner of your property, you have the freedom to do what you want with it. This includes upgrades and renovations where you can increase the value of your property, boosting your profit. For example, you could install an inverter to beat loadshedding and increase your property’s value.
If you know what you’re doing, flipping houses by purchasing a low-value property and renovating it can earn you a high return on your investment. Alternatively, you can purchase a property, subdivide and sell which also often leads to great financial reward.
5. There’s a Property Shortage
It’s no secret that South Africa has a housing crisis — there simply aren’t enough homes for the number of people. In fact, South Africa has a backlog of over 2.3 million units. This high demand for affordable housing means that you can expect a steady stream of eager tenants and a steady flow of income.
And the development of a strong middle class in South Africa is resulting in a migration to better neighbourhoods and more expensive homes which means a higher growth potential for investors.
6. You Can Benefit From High Property Rental Rates
With the rising interest rates, increasing inflation and high housing demands in South Africa, you can take advantage of the high rental rates at the moment. This allows investors to pay off their home loans faster and make more profit.
However, it’s essential that you choose your property wisely to ensure its increasing value beats the annual rise of inflation.
7. South Africa Is a Popular Holiday Destination
Cape Town is regularly ranked as one of the best value-for-money holiday destinations in the world. This opens up a sea of opportunity for property investors who are looking to invest in holiday property.
The advantages of holiday property are:
You can charge a much higher rental rate, thus making a higher profit.
It’s a lot more flexible with short-term tenants.
You have the option to stay in it yourself by choosing not to rent it out for short periods of time.
However, it does come with its disadvantages:
Your cash flow from rental income is much less reliable when you’re likely to have periods where you don’t have any tenants
There are higher maintenance costs.
8. You Can Capitalise on Relatively Low Interest Rates
While interest rates have recently gone through a series of hikes, they are still relatively low. As of April 2024, interest rates were still at 11,75%, where they were a year ago. However, this still sits below the average of 13% - 15,5%. This means now’s a good time to invest in property before the interest rates increase.
